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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23632225">I’ve Heard Enough Guff ‘Bout Them Cuffs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyroangelo/pseuds/Pyroangelo'>Pyroangelo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Letterkenny (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Misunderstandings, Other, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Swearing, hijinks ensue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:53:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23632225</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyroangelo/pseuds/Pyroangelo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alright all, best believe couplings connect, decide, determine eternal entanglement from first happenstance, how? Intuition indicates, justifies, joyous, keen kismet. Let’s love, make merry matchs, notify novios or novias of opportune ogling, propagate positivity, quiet qualms, reveal relationships, soulmates stupid, say something then there.<br/>Or<br/>The first words you and your soulmate exchange will appear on your wrist when you turn 16. There are rules, unspoken but solid as oak so in a town like Letterkenny fate holds weight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daryl/Wayne (Letterkenny)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>186</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I’ve Heard Enough Guff ‘Bout Them Cuffs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This idea popped into my head somehow, and I could not shake it. Not like I have a multi-chapter incomplete work just staring me in the face and I’m procrastinating, figure it oot. Sidenote: watch Littlekenny, the animated mini-series for Letterkenny it’s cute and it puts this into some context.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On a brisk day in Letterkenny the hicks were unwinding from some hard choring at MoDean’s with Gailer and some Puppers. The hicks drank in comfortable silence for a brief moment, till an idea pops into Squirrelly Dan’s mind.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, do yous guys believes in soulmates?” Squirrelly Dan asks nursing his third bottle.</p><p> </p><p>“What the hell kinda question is that, Squirrelly Dan?” Wayne asks sharply. He crosses his arms and turns rigidly toward Dan from his usual seat by the bar.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah Dan, of course we do.” Katy comments casually from Wayne’s right side.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a known-fucking-fact, Squirrelly Dan, that a soul bond is as sure and stable as the Ag Hall. It’s tradition and phenomenon older than Uncle Eddie’s first loonie, er Aunt Marion’s casserole recipe.” Wayne meticulously recites a proper recollection of the history of soul bonds his Dy-ad lectured into him at a young age. Wayne unbuttons both his sleeves to reveal two sizable leather cuffs around each of his wrists to punctuate his point to Dan. “As sure as the words written on your wrist and carved into your bones Squirrelly Dan, soulmates are a sure fucking thing.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know, I know, good buddy.” Dan politely averts his gaze at the sight of Wayne’s cuffs.</p><p> </p><p>“Well then, why are you asking if we believe in em?” Daryl ponders dimly at Wayne’s other side at the bar.</p><p> </p><p>“-Fuckin’ of course we do.” Wayne grumbles as he refastens his sleeves.</p><p> </p><p>“Ain’t a soul in Letterkenny that doubts Uncle Eddie and Aunt Marion were the surest fucking soulmates in Canada.” Katy recollects the legendary tale of Uncle Eddie’s escapades.</p><p> </p><p>“Not a person alive that can deny how sure the McMurray’s are for each other, even with their unfortunate lifestyle.” Daryl grimaces into his second bottle at the thought of the McMurray’s choice of recreation.</p><p> </p><p>“If there were any fucking doubt the Dycks were meant for each other, you’d have a gaggle of Dycks with iron rods and flaming shafts brewing up a mob, fuckouttahere.” Gailer pipes up from her side of the bar, ensuring that she somehow meets eye with every single hick as she slurs on about shafts.</p><p> </p><p>“Andyawannaknowwhat,” Wayne steamrolls past Gailer’s unfortunate innuendos and looks to his sister. “Katy, those nutsacks of yours can be in denial about their homosocial relationship all they want, but that’s a soul bond if I’ve ever seens one.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, and they ain’t the only ones, big shoots.”</p><p> </p><p>“What was that Katy-Kat?” Daryl furrows his brow at Katy.</p><p> </p><p>“Nothing.” She cuts back sharply and focuses back to Dan. “What’s the fuss, big shoots?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well I know, I knows there are plenty of tangible evidence of legitimates soulbonds round these parts, but you knows Professor Tricias brought up-“ Squirrelly Dan’s buds all share a small sigh at the mention of Dan’s favorite teacher, sounds he pointedly ignores. “-in my Women’s Studies Course that nowadays with how socials media has inflated the amount that peoples perceives one's personals life, there's been negatives backlash around the culture of soulbonds, and that in big cities likes Toronto there are majorities of people that don’t evens thinks of soulmates. Not even an uncommons sight to see people walking around withouts wrist cuffs.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fucking that’s citydiots for you. I say fucking aye!” Daryl spouts with ire as he slams a fist on the bar counter.</p><p> </p><p>Gail mimicks Daryl’s anger as she slams a fist as well and growls, “How the fuck do those cityiot degens flick it, if it’s not to some wrist rubbin’? Fuckouttahere.”</p><p> </p><p>Wayne slams his bottle of Puppers into the bar in like fashion as well. He straightens up and lectures into the air, “Fuckin’-if people weren’t so fucking preoccupied developing jealousies for shit that strangers from far away-”</p><p> </p><p>“-Just say FOMO Wayne, it’ll save a lot of time.” Katy rolls her eyes at Wayne’s usual theatrics.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne cuts his eyes toward her and grumbles, “I ain’t even dignifying that with a response.” </p><p> </p><p>Instead of continuing his point, Wayne grabs his Puppers and pouts into his bottle.</p><p> </p><p>Daryl picks up on Wayne’s souring mood and pipes up on his behalf.</p><p> </p><p>“What Wayne’s saying Dan, is that the phenomenon of cityiots not believing in soulmates really has more to do with the fucked up lifestyles they have out there. Don’t know their neighbors’ names, always walkin’ and talkin’ too fast, always taking fuckin’ selfies at gentrified ethic food places with white owners and concrete floors.” Daryl lists off cityiot failings and gets a chorus of agreement from his fellow hicks. “It’s a fuckin’ soulless city, course they don’t think soulmates exist. Probably don’t even have the head space to remember what they say to others.”</p><p> </p><p>Wayne nods in Daryl’s direction with a satisfied smirk and says, “Couldn’t have said better myself Dar, I mean fuckin’ if you can’t even bother yourself to know your neighbor’s name, what chance in hell do you have finding your soulmate.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hell, speaking of those nutsacks and their big cityiot slams, ya know some folk even think there’s such a thing as platonic soulmates.” Gail brings the hockey players back into conversation. Wayne eyes her suspiciously. She meets his stare blankly with a shrug, “Though I doubt those cityiots would even consider that a possibility, fuckouttahere.” </p><p> </p><p>“That’s a Texas size 10-4 Gailer.” Daryl points his Puppers toward Gail in agreement. He smiles as he gestures toward Wayne and says, “I mean that’s what me and Wayne are after all.” </p><p> </p><p>Daryl takes a satisfied chug of his Puppers at that, unaware that his buds have fallen silent around him.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, what?” Katy asks dumbfounded, as the lot of them stare at Daryl in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>“The fuck are you talkin’bout Darry?” Wayne says tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Now holds on Darry, yer sayin’ that you thinks you and Wayne are one of those plate tectonics soulmates?” Squirrelly Dan spoke full of doubt. </p><p> </p><p>Daryl only smiled dimly at the dumbstruck faces of his pals. “I ain’t thinkin’ it, I’m saying it Big City Shoots.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah and uh, how do ya figure that interplanetary deduction Dar?” Wayne muttered tightly, arms folded stiffly across his chest and eyes squinted shut with doubt toward Daryl.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, on account that Aunt Marion’s said as much to my mum one time.” Daryl recalls with some nostalgia. The mention of Aunt Marion’s assessment makes the lot of the hicks straighten up and tenses up Wayne even more. “Said she figures we might as well be attached at the hip with how close we were back then.”</p><p> </p><p>“And when her husband is the best matchmaker fer soulmates in all of Ontario those are words you take to heart or you get the fuck outta here, half-court shoots.” Gail says with confidence as she fixes Wayne with a hard stare. He only growls low in response.</p><p> </p><p>“And well on account of this.” Daryl finishes his tale with a flourish as he ceremoniously snaps his cuff off from his right wrist and holds it out toward his buds.</p><p> </p><p>“-Opp, look at you ground.” Dan recoils automatically and diverts his eye.</p><p> </p><p>“Jesus Dar-” Wayne visibly flinches, but doesn’t look away.</p><p> </p><p>“-Woah, Darry.” Katy jumps slightly but the sight of what’s written on Daryl’s wrist holds her attention.</p><p> </p><p>There on Daryl’s slightly pale wrist, almost mysterious how pale it looked compared to his already milky complexion, was one single word.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Wayne </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Fuckin’ aye Darry, even I know that ain’t proper,” Gail slides away toward Dan as she tries to fight the urge to look as well. “And I made a joke about flicking my bic to wrist rubbing not 5 minutes prior.” </p><p> </p><p>There’s no denying that they all saw the name scrawled on Daryl’s wrist like a property brand. A silent moment passes as the hicks anticipate who’ll ask the question first.</p><p> </p><p>Ever the leader, Wayne takes initiative and grits out lowly, “Darry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup, good buddy?” Daryl smiles at Wayne brightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Why is my name on your wrist?”</p><p> </p><p>“Cuz that’s the first thing you ever said to me buddy.” Daryl explains with that thousand watt smile still plastered on his mug, the pride in his voice is enough to make even stoic Wayne a bit bashful.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne opens his mouth to speak, but it only hangs open as he processes the various implications of this situation.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s ah, that sure is your handwriting big brother.” Katy comments tentatively as she leans in a bit closer for a better look at it.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne leans forward on his own stool and lays an arm across the bar to get Katy to back up. He grumbles out, “Fuckin’ avert your eyes Katy, that ain’t fucking proper.”</p><p> </p><p>Finally reading the room after a moment, Daryl retracts his wrist slightly but doesn’t snap his cuff back into place. He finds himself rubbing it absently as he says, “Alright, alright don’t get all bent outta shape-”</p><p> </p><p>Gailer smiles coyly and pipes up with a dirty thought, “Well, if you boys are getting bent-”</p><p> </p><p>“Gailer!” Wayne slaps the bar lightly to keep Gail from continuing, pointedly ignoring Daryl rubbing his wrist out the corner of his eye. He’s straightened back up on his stool as he fixes Gail with a glare. “Take about 25% off there.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll put my cuff back on now if it’ll make the lot of y’all less Squirrelly.” Daryl says.</p><p> </p><p>“Please and thank.” Wayne speaks to the ceiling.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuckin’-it’s your name on his wrist Wayne, you of all people are allowed to look.” Katy argues till Wayne fixes her with a glare.</p><p> </p><p>“Sos the two of you are one of those Paleolithics soulmates then, I guess.” Squirrelly Dan ponders from his side again.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay so, ‘kay, fuckin’, ‘kay, so ‘kay,” Katy smacks her brother’s shoulder to get him verbal. Wayne glares death at her again, before grunting, “How the fuck do you figure we’re the platonic kind, if we even are.”</p><p> </p><p>Katy rolls her eyes at the doubt in Wayne’s voice. “How many fucking people could Darry possibly meet that will say ‘Wayne’ when they first fucking meet him, super chief?”</p><p> </p><p>“Gailer mentionin’ this platonic shit is the first I’m even hearin’ of it. How the fuck could Darry figure that’s what we are, from hearing it once.” Wayne argues back.</p><p> </p><p>Dan pipes back in saying, “Well, accordings to Professor Tricia-”</p><p> </p><p>“-Oh my god enough Dan.” Katy groans.</p><p> </p><p>“No, no I thinks this ones worth hearings Miss Katy, now Poplio-tonic soulmates are a fairly new concept to modern day, and it’s natural that Wayne has some doubt.” Dan gives Wayne a reassuring look, though his buddy just scowls back at him. “According to Professor Tricia, many experts have found that a number of soulmates settle as friends when they discover they are bonded.”</p><p> </p><p>From his own side of the bar, Daryl continues smiling brightly and hums in agreement to the wise words of Professor Tricia.</p><p> </p><p>“It ain’t common, fucking rarity as it is,” Dan continues, “but it’s usually when they unexpectedly find their soulmate is of the same sex, and they don’t identify as attracteds to such. They tend to compromise to keep them in their lives. Many peoples find that when they do, their mental states fare better than those who try to reject such bonds ‘cuz of preconceived sexualities.”</p><p> </p><p>As Dan concludes his lecture on soulbonds 101, Wayne stands abruptly, still silent and tense. </p><p> </p><p>“I’d have a dart.” He says as he turns and beelines for the door. None of his buds make to stop him, though Daryl pouts a bit at the loss of his buddy’s company.</p><p> </p><p>Katy beckons Gail and Daryl to slide closer to her and Dan’s spot at the bar corner. As they do, she speaks lowly, “Now to be fair-”</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘To be fair’ </em> the hicks harmonize quietly. Though they find themselves holding the note longer than they anticipated.</p><p> </p><p>Daryl’s the first to realize why, stopping to say, “Aw fuck, Wayne’s not here to make us stop.”</p><p> </p><p>Katy takes it upon herself to end Gail and Dan’s suffering as they continued to harmonize, as she flourishes to a closed palm she speaks again, “To be fair, I understand that people who may not be interested in sexual relations, or romantic relations can have a sort of platonic soul bond form, but why the fuck do you think that’s what you and Wayne have Darry?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, on account that Wayne wears two cuffs.” Daryl concludes simply.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh that’s rights, I hardly notice at times on account Wayne usually has his sleeves pulled over them for decency.” Dan pieces together Daryl’s line of thinking.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s still quite a slick show to see Wayne brandishing those cuffs like gauntlets whenever he rolls up his sleeves for a scrap.” Gail comments from her side with a cocked hip.</p><p> </p><p>“In any case, since he has two cuffs I always figured one of those has my phrase under it, and he’ll have his future sweetie’s under the other.” Daryl explains. </p><p> </p><p>“But Darry, why don’t you have two cuffs?” Katy questions with a tilt of her head.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah little league shoots, if’n this thing with Wayne is yer gin and platonic bond, what about yer romantic one?” Gail ponders as well.</p><p> </p><p>“Well I always kinda figured I wasn’t meant to have one I guess. Never really been too great at relationships. I mean y’all saw how it ended with Annik a while back.” Daryl admits solemnly at being reminded of his clingy attitude toward Annik.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah.” Katy realizes with a frown.</p><p> </p><p>“Unfortunate.” Dan laments.</p><p> </p><p>“Yew!” Gail exclaims out of left field, somehow on her phone with Annik’s Insta open. As the hicks look at her,  she pockets her phone and looks apologetically at Daryl. “Sorry Darry.”</p><p> </p><p>“So what you’re just not looking fer a sweetie now.” Katy asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Now I never said that Katy, just that, you know, I’m not meant to have a hallmark special romance,” Daryl grips his third bottle tightly, not expecting to play 20 questions with Katy today. He kept a casual tone as he spoke, “All I need is my good buddies, and a guy or gal that maybe don’t mind our company.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s actually kinda sweet Darry.” Katy said softly.</p><p> </p><p>“Now that I’m thinkings ‘bout apoplectic soulbonds and Wayne having two phrases, kinda figures that makes sense why he’s always been so trusting with his sweeties.” Dan pipes up with another wondering.</p><p> </p><p>“How ya ‘figures’ that Dan?” Daryl squints at Dan’s insistence on analyzing soulbonds today. He tucks into his fourth bottle of Puppers as Gail sets it down for him. After a good gulp, he belches and spits out, “All he does is trust em till they give him a reason not to.”</p><p> </p><p>“You talk about it like you could ever do the same.” Katy smirks into her own bottle.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey I can respect that Wayne’s the model boyfriend, doesn’t mean I could ever aspire to that.” Daryl bites back.</p><p> </p><p>“Well now you’ve done and cancelled out the respectability you earned just a minute ago.” Katy sighs at Daryl’s lack of self-confidence.</p><p> </p><p>“In anys case, I was figuring it must have been awful confusing for Waynes to deal with two different soul phrases on his arms growing up. What with some peoples words being so innocuous sometimes, likes ‘hello’ er ‘How’re ya now’,” Dan continues his thought. The idea of Wayne struggling to deal with such a fate gave his pals pause. Dan nodded solemnly at their shared sympathy as he finished his analysis, saying, “So maybe now he don’t do nothing that woulds lower his possibility of matching, that and it just being proper.”</p><p> </p><p>“Katy yer his sister,” Gail fixes Katy with a look as she replaces her empty bottle, “did you know anything about him having two phrases?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nope, the lot of you got 'em all at relatively the same time, remember?” Katy admits bluntly, with her being younger than her brother and all their buds, Katy had to learn about the mess of soulbonds through osmosis before she got a proper lesson. “It was two years before I even knew what any of that stuff was. Mama and Dy-ad dealt with Wayne freaking out about soulmate stuff and they never let me hear a lick about anything.”</p><p> </p><p>Dan nodded in agreement and added, “Guess it’s just proper for them, folks was a lot more conservative about phrases back then. Most folks wore two wrist cuffs back in the day as it stands.”</p><p> </p><p>“So did my parents, I kinda always figured that’s why Wayne did too, tradition and all that.” Katy recalls, though she bit her lip in thought. “But they did all make a pretty big deal about it once his words showed up, so maybe he did have two.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s an awful long smokes break Wayne’s been taking.” Daryl wonders, having checked out of the conversation a while ago.</p><p> </p><p>“Well maybe you should go check on your better half Daryl.” Katy smirks at his concern.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you can get him in line with some post-platonic suggestion.” Gail chirps as she cleans up the bar.</p><p> </p><p>“In the words of American-Canadian Alt-rock Queen, Alanis Morissette, ‘Isn’t it Platonic?’ fer yous to do your soulbound duty Darry.” Dan jokes from his corner.</p><p> </p><p>“The way you two dance around each other, it’s got to be simple platonic motion.” Katy continues, actually earning a chuckle from Daryl then.</p><p> </p><p>“Is this platonic plate movement gonna be divergent or are we looking at an uplift?” Gail adds as she straddles the bar and punctuates ‘uplift’ with a thrust of her hips. Daryl’s up out of his stool and out the doors before Dan and Katy can even get their laughs out.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Daryl finds Wayne leaning up against the side of MoDean’s outside wall, shoulders stiffer than the brick he was leaning on, with a dart half-smoked between his lips, and most importantly one of his cuffs off as he rubs at his left wrist methodically.</p><p> </p><p>“Yew!” Daryl calls out as he approaches, causing Wayne to fumble slightly. “That’s quite a show yer putting on there ya slut.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you fucking preoccupied, Daryl?” Wayne bites out harshly as he turns his back toward Daryl, snaps his cuff back into place and fusses a bit before he turns back to glare.</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t the one staring death at my own wrist, good buddy.” Daryl mutters as he lights up a dart for himself.</p><p> </p><p>He expects Wayne to bristle at that, expects a grumble and some bite at Daryl for being spare parts, or how he should mind his own business. What he doesn’t expect is Wayne to stare at him quietly for a long moment before holding up his left wrist and gripping his cuff. When he finally does speak it’s low and quiet, like he hopes no one will hear, “It’s a fuckin’ mysterious thing ain’t it? How a fella could go years after learning what his wrist says and not even give a thought to the day he met some interplanetary kid in coveralls.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s no worry if you didn’t realize, I always figured it wasn’t worth thinking ‘bout.” Daryl smiles at the memory of that day. Getting to play catch with a new friend, getting to pet the sturdiest yet gentlest boxer pitbull pup he’s ever met, and getting invited to bale hay and pick stones for the weekend. One of the best fuckin’ days of Daryl life. “It was a great fuckin’ day though, wasn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Best fuckin’ day. Nothing beat playing ball and doing chores back then.” Wayne smiles at the memory himself, however briefly. His thoughts take him back to Daryl’s words prior. He fixes Daryl with a glare as he grills him, “How the fuck could you say it ain’t worth thinkin’bout? It’s a fuckin’ soulbond. It’s like, like I been ignorin’ a part of myself for my entire fuckin’ life, like I’ve been ignorin’ you.”</p><p> </p><p>Daryl’s mouth hung open at that. Wayne’s wistfully nostalgia was one thing, but his defensive and offended tone toward soulbonds was completely new to Daryl. Daryl hasn’t exactly expected the third degree so he settled with the initial goal he set out to complete when he walked out the bar. “Can I see it?”</p><p> </p><p>Wayne did a double take at Daryl’s non-sequitur. And although he looked like he still wanted an answer for his previous question, Wayne settled on a scoff at Daryl. “I ain’t usually that kinda girl, Daryl.”</p><p> </p><p>There’s the wit Daryl’s accustomed to, that kind of resistance Daryl could navigate. Without another word, Daryl removed his own cuff again and held his right wrist toward Wayne.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne’s breath hitched again just as before, but he didn’t look away. There it was, plain as day, Wayne’s name written in his own chicken scratch on Daryl’s skin. Even with the voice of his Mama nagging at him in the back of his head how indecent it was, Wayne couldn’t find himself looking away.</p><p> </p><p>Before he could even think of stopping himself, Wayne slowly and mechanically removed his own left cuff, and held it out rigidly toward Daryl.</p><p> </p><p>Daryl smiles widely at Wayne at that, thankful for Wayne’s openness despite the harsh flush he could see peeking onto Wayne’s ears. There scrawled on the pale skin that’s always been hidden from the light by thick leather are Daryl’s words.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What’s your name? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He’d recognize his own handy work anywhere, and it takes him back to that fateful day he just happened to stand up for Katy getting bullied by some mullet heads.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne clears his throat after a moment, Daryl looks to see him growing redder around the collar. It is quite a scene for controversy in Wayne’s point of view, two men showing off their wrists out in the open. Wayne huddled closer to the brick wall of MoDean’s and mutters low, “Fuckin’ suppose I should have figured sooner, ain’t no one with shittier hand writing than you Dar.” </p><p> </p><p>“Well, ya ain’t got it all yer damn self.” Daryl bites back with some offense, scratching at his wrist, unaware of the effect it had on Wayne.</p><p> </p><p>“Reckon I do now tho’...” Wayne whispered breathlessly, like he ain’t really allowed to think it, let alone speak those words, he barely meets Daryl’s eye by the end of it. “Don’t I?”</p><p> </p><p>With Wayne this close now as they both took in each other’s marks, he caught a glimpse of Wayne’s face and saw streaks of hastily dried tears.</p><p> </p><p>“Wayne.” Daryl spoke softly as he moved closer to inspect Wayne’s mug, tilting his chin up with one hand and gripping his left wrist to keep him in place.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne barks out in surprise, “Fuckin’-slow your roll there Dar-”</p><p> </p><p>Wayne attempted to recoil from the pressure Daryl placed on his exposed wrist and the other hand that tilted Wayne’s chin towards Daryl, but he stopped at the hard look in Daryl’s eye. “-Wayne, have you been cryin’?”</p><p> </p><p>“Would ya get off of it Daryl?” Wayne pried himself outta Daryl grip and snapped his cuff back into place. He turned his back to Daryl and did his best to wipe away any sign of vulnerability. Over his shoulder he grit out, “And put yer cuff back on.”</p><p> </p><p>“I will when you start talking super chief, what’s going on?” Daryl stepped up and gripped Wayne’s shoulder with his still uncuffed hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Just put your fuckin’ cuff back on.” Wayne said with a strained tone. “It ain’t fucking right Darry.”</p><p> </p><p>Daryl sighed and gave him a squeeze, “Wayne-”</p><p> </p><p>“-It ain’t fucking right!” Wayne pried outta Daryl’s grip. When he realizes it was the arm with Daryl’s mark, he averts his gaze again and grits out, “I don’t deserve to see it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wayne if you don’t start talking sense-”</p><p> </p><p>“-I’ve been cheating on you. I’ve cheated on you at least five times over. For fucking years, without even batting an eye or a shred of remorse.” Wayne stood stiffly and glared hard at the gravel as he listed his sins. With his fists balled up so tight his knuckles turned white. “It ain’t fucking right.”</p><p> </p><p>“Now you knock off that thinkin’ right now Wayne. Ya haven’t been cheating on anyone.” Daryl squared up and made Wayne meet his eye. When squinted eyes meet his own, he softens his tone. “Soulbonds are important, but it ain’t nothin’ to work yourself up over, nothings changed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Pert near everything’s changed Darry.” Wayne says low in defeat. “Yer my fuckin’ soulmate.”</p><p> </p><p>“Platonic soulmate.” Daryl says blankly again.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you fuckin’ kidding me with that shit? Jus’ cuz Gailer spouts some bullshit claims about platonic soulbonds, don’t mean it’s true.” Wayne spits at the bullshit of some poorly researched soulbond paper.</p><p> </p><p>Daryl grimaced hard at Wayne’s indignance. Crossing his arms and puffing out his chest for surety, Daryl bites back, “Now you listen to me and I’m gonna tell ya, there’s a lovely gal out there waiting for ya to speak her words to her, and that ain’t gonna happen if you keep fussin’bout our platonic bond. Carryin’ on like I’m supposed to be yer sweetie.”</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck have you been smoking?” Wayne breaks his stiff stance at Daryl's ridiculous theory. Fuckin’ interplanetary assessment as it is, Wayne barks back, “I only have one set of fuckin’ words Daryl.”</p><p> </p><p>“No you never-you wear two fucking cuffs Wayne!-”</p><p> </p><p>“-Yer fuckin’ supposed-”</p><p> </p><p>“-Why wear two cuffs otherwise? Cuz yer hiding two phrases-”</p><p> </p><p>“-No I never! People are supposed to wear two fuckin’ cuffs Daryl.”</p><p> </p><p>Daryl scowls hard at that, “No they neve-”</p><p> </p><p>“-You know rightly all our folks wore two cuffs growin’ up, and when my words cropped up Dy-ad made sure I wore two so folks wouldn’t fixate on where the fuck a guy’s words are.” Wayne cuts off Daryl’s dig with a proper history lesson. With his thumbs looped into his belt loops and his shoulders square, Wayne set out to sort out Daryl’s confusion. “Don’t matter if it’s hidden under leather, er even if you only got one, when ya wear a single cuff people will know where yer words are, and they’ll fixate on ‘em. It ain’t fucking proper.”</p><p> </p><p>The moment Wayne finishes his lecture proper, he knows he’s won. Ain’t no fucking with his Dy-ad’s tried and true parenting.</p><p> </p><p>He’s caught off guard when Daryl steps in quickly and balls Wayne’s plaid button-down in his fists and glares hard into Wayne’s eyes. Wayne tenses up on reflex but doesn’t move, with determination in his voice, Daryl speaks, “Take off your cuffs.”</p><p> </p><p>Wayne squints at that, “If you’re coming you bett-”</p><p> </p><p>“-Take. Your. Fucking. Cuffs. Off. Wayne.”</p><p> </p><p>At Daryl’s pointed tone, Wayne holds his gaze as he rolls up both his sleeves and slowly snaps off both of his cuffs. He drops them on the ground with a solid thud and a challenging look of defiance as he holds his wrists out to Daryl.</p><p> </p><p>On Wayne’s left wrist were Daryl’s words once again. No matter how tense the conversation was, Daryl still felt warmth inside him seeing those words. After a tense moment of soaking in his own print on Wayne’s skin again, Daryl looked toward Wayne’s other wrist, and found it blank. </p><p> </p><p>Daryl felt his throat run dry at the reality presented to him, there’s no mystery of some other girl hidden behind Wayne’s cuffs, no excuses like platonic soulbonds to explain the yearning in his chest. There’s only his words and Wayne’s.</p><p> </p><p>With a surge of confidence, Daryl grips Wayne’s left wrist with his left hand and holds his right wrist with his words alongside it. Wayne tenses up and groans low at the action. It’s improper, but Daryl doesn’t give a care because it’s the best he’s ever felt.</p><p> </p><p>Not to be out done, Wayne takes control of the situation and wraps his right arm around Daryl’s back to pull him close. Daryl goes wide-eyed at the sudden movement, giving Wayne the opportunity to grip Daryl’s right wrist and run his fingers along the skin inked with his name. The sensation sends shivers down Daryl’s spine and causes him to giggle nervously from the ticklish feeling. The positive reaction only urges some deep part of Wayne to take it further, so with his grip on Daryl’s wrist he moves it toward himself and kisses along the skin of Daryl’s wrist. </p><p> </p><p>Daryl’s breath catches in his throat as Wayne meets his eye and finally speaks. “It’s just you Dar. It’s only ever been you.”</p><p> </p><p>Daryl holds Wayne’s gaze as he takes in Wayne’s declaration.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuckin’ 10-ply bud.” And Daryl just laughs. Not at Wayne, God knows he’d never be stupid enough to do that. Laughs at the loops he’d convinced himself to jump though to deny his love for his best buddy. Of everything in the world, he thought he was sure of one thing, and even then he was wrong about this, he really was spare parts. He laughs in joy that it’s all actually happening, that he’s in Wayne’s arms and he’s staring at Daryl with such intensity.</p><p> </p><p>Wayne joins in Daryl’s mirth and chuckles lowly himself. With his arms still around Daryl, Wayne pulls him close again and plants a small chaste kiss on Daryl’s lips. As he pulls back to Daryl’s bewildered expression he chuckles again and says, “Reckon I got a lot of lost time being soft to make up for.”</p><p> </p><p>When he finally recovers from his shock, Daryl grins his thousand watt smile and melts back into Wayne’s arms muttering a muffled, “That is a Texas sized 10-4.”</p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I mostly got the idea in my head because I though Darry could be thickheaded enough to gloss over what having Wayne’s name on his wrist means, or just him thinking it just makes them better pals. This was a dumb thought that got stuck in my head, but let me know what y’all think just the same!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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